New York City is becoming a safer place for construction workers, according to a construction industry publication citing recent reports.

Though the number of building permits issued rose by 7.7 percent, the number of construction accident injuries dropped from 165 in 2010 to 152 in 2011, Mayor Michael Bloomberg said in a released statement issued with Building Commissioner Robert Li Mandri.

They said reported accidents last year were down 18 percent from 2010 and down a whopping 41 percent from 2009.

However, there were five reported construction accident fatalities last year; up one from the four reported the year before, the mayor said in his statement.

Li Mandri said construction site safety is an important priority for the city.

"Development is critical to this city's growth and success, but there's no reason why that work cannot be done safely" he said.

"With new laws, tougher enforcement and more cooperation from the industry, our inspectors, engineers, architects and attorneys have made construction sites safer -- meaning a safer city for all New Yorkers."

The most common type of construction site accident still involves falls. Last year, 52 New York construction workers were injured in falls, down from 66 in 2010.

Last year, the Department of Buildings issued more than 5,100 Stop Work Orders -- including both full and partial orders - because of unsafe construction site work conditions.

Bloomberg and the commissioner credit the city's revised construction code, 25 new building laws, a vigorous site inspection campaign and an effort to encourage workers to use fall protection gear.

Assembly member Rory Lancman said, "A safe workplace is not a privilege, it's a right."

Source: designbuildsource.com: "New York Becomes Safer for Construction Workers," Andrew Heaton, Jan. 24, 2012